Garment-stretcher.



D. F. LAMBERT. GARMENT S-TRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29. 1917.

Patented Jan. 15, 1918. M

INVENTOH m Ze/ m a BY v ATTORNEY NIT ears Planar onio DANIEL F. LAMBERT, OF WEST CONCORD, MINNESOTA.

GARMENT-STRETCHER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL F. LAMBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Concord, in the county of Dodge and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garment- Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to garment stretchers and driers and more particularly to stretchers for shirts, sweaters and the like.

The main object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed, cheap and eflicient device of this character which may be collapsed when not in use and occupy a small space for storage or transportation.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is constructed entirely of Wire except for'the plate which locks it .in open and folded positions.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a stretcher constructed in accordance with this invention and shown in open operative position Fig. 2 is a vertical detail section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and Y Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

r In the embodiment herein illustrated, the stretcher constituting this invention comprises a rod 1 designed to operate as a pintle for two sections 9. and 3, and also as a support for suspending the stretcher when in use.

These sections 2 and 3 are exactly alike in size and shape and are designed to be folded in superposed relation when not in use to adapt the device to occupy a comparatively small space and when extended are held in open position by a locking device 10 hereinafter to be described. This rod 1 is provided at its opposite ends with suspen- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 29,

Patented Jan. 15, 11918..

1917. Serial No. 158,424.

sion means 11 and 12 which may be in the form of eyes as shown, although not neces sarily so, these eyes being here shown formed by bending the ends of the rod into circular shape.

The sections 2 and 3 which as stated, are exactly alike, in size and shape are each composed of two pieces of wire 4 and 5. The wire 4 is engaged at its opposite ends with the rod 1 near the eyes 11 and 12 thereof having the terminals of said wire bent to form bearings 6 through which the rod or pintle 1 passes. This wire 4 extends laterally from the upper bearing 6 and is bent to form a sleeve shaped member 7 from the lower inner end of which it extends downwardly in a plane parallel with rod 1 and then is extended at right angles, terminating in the lower bearing 6. By so bending this wire, the section 2 is formed substantially rectangular in shape with the sleeve-shaped member 7 extending laterally from its upper end and lying in the same plane therewith so that when section 3, which is similarly formed is connected with the rod or pintle 1 and said sections opened into the position shown in Fig. 1, they will form a stretcher of substantially the shape of an ordinary mans shirt.

A reinforcing and bracing wire 5 which is used in each section is connected at one end with the upper portion of the section, preferably at the junction of the arm member 7 with the body portion of the stretcher at a point where the shoulder seam of the shirt would ordinarily be placed and said wire is engaged with said section by bending one end thereof to form an eye 8. This wire then extends transversely across the arm member 7 at its inner end and is coiled around said arm member 7 at its lower side where it joins the body portion of the stretcher at a point which will ordinarily come at the arm pit of the garment. The coil 9 which is here formed in wire 5 holds the upper and lower wires of the arm member 7 against lateral separation and out ward bending at its junction with the body portion of the stretcher. This wire is then extended toward rod 1 and is engaged therewith having an eye 13 formed at its terminal and through which the rod 1 passes.

The wire 5 of section 3 is similarly constructed and the terminal 13 thereof lies in contact with the terminal 13 of the Wire 5 of section 2 as is shown clearly in Fig. 1.

It will thus be seen that when the two sections 2 and 3 are thus formed and mounted on the rod 1 that they may be folded into closed position, one above the other when not in use, and .When desired for use, may be opened outwardly and held against collapse by theplate which will now be described. This plate lOis folded longitudinally to provide a housing substantially inverted U-shaped in cross section, as shown clearly in Fig. 2 and which is provided at the center of the cross bar thereof with an i aperture 14 through which the rod 1 passes and which is slidable on said rod, the legs or flanges 15 of saidhousing extending on opposite sides of the pintle l and the transverse members 5' of wire 5,. and when in this position the sections will be held against foldinm.

To permit the folding of the sections, this housing or folded plate 10 is slipped upwardly on rod 1 until the side members or flanges 15 thereof clear wire 5 and the sections may then be folded into-closed position.

In the use of this stretcher, the housing 10 is moved upwardly and the Sections partially folded to permit the device to be inserted in the shirt to be stretched so that the ber 11 will project through the neck of the shirt and the stretcher with the shirt mounted thereon may be mounted on any suitable support.

The wire. from which this device is constructed is preferably galvanized to prevent rusting and the consequent injury to the material from which the garment to be stretched is formed and the plate 10 is also preferably galvanized for the same purpose.

By constriu-ting the device. entirely of wire, except for plate 10, it will be obvious that it may be cheaply constructed and will he very strong and efficient in operation.

It is also to be. observed that the locking plate or housing 10 may be utilized for locking the stretcher when the sect-ions are folded upon each other by slipping said plate down over the trausversblv arranged wires .3 which are in parallel relation when the device is Folded and the device will thus be held against accidental opening.

From the foregoing description. taken in Ollllttilflll with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent. to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made as are witlr in the scope of the claimed invention.

I claim 1. A garment stretchercomprising a pair of body members, a pintle connecting said members whereby they may be folded together along the longitudinal lines, cross bars carried by said. members, and a locking element U-shaped in cross section having an aperture in its cross bar through which said pintle extends, said locking element being adapted to engage said cross bars to lock the body members in both open and folded positions.

2. A stretcher of the class described comprising a centrally disposed rod, sections of uniform size and contour pivotally mounted on said rod to be folded in superposed relation when not in use, and an inverted U- shaped member slidable on said rod for engaging said sections when in open position to hold them against collapse and when in closed position to hold them against opening.

stretcher of the class described comprising a centrally disposed rod having suspension members at its opposite ends, sections of uniform size and shape pivotally mounted at their inner ends on said rod and having laterally extending arm members at their upper ends, reinforcing members connecting said rod with each section, said reinforcing members being pivotally engaged with the rod, and a locking plate slidable on said rod and adapted to engage said reinforcing, members to hold the sections in open position.

4. A stretcher of the class described comprising a central rod having a suspension member at one end. two sections substantially rectangular in form hingedl v con nected at one side to said rod and having laterally extending arm shaped members at their upper ends, trai'isverse wires connecting said upper ends with said rod and pivotally engaged therewith, and a housing 120 member substantially inverted U-shaped in cross section having an aperture in the cross bar thereof slidably engaged with said rod above said transverse wires with the flanges thereof adapted to slide over said wires to I25 lock the section in open position.

stretcher ol' the class described comprising a central rod. suspension means earried tl'iereby. a wire pivolally connected at its opposite ends with said rod and bent to 1,258,609 are form a substantially rectangular body )ortion with an arm extendlng laterally rom its upper end, a elmilar section carried by gaged with said rod, andmeans for engagr ing said reinforcing wire for looking the sections in open position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signai ure in presence of two witnesses. DANIEL F. LAMBERT. Witnesses Vnnomen D. LAMBERT,

C. D. Snirsox. 

